A Spirited Girl
by mcgt
Summary: When Jane met up with Bella in the meadow, she was begging the vampire to take her life. To take her away from the misery of her memories of Edward. Instead, Jane takes her to Volterra, where she may just find her future. NEW MOON AU OOC
1. Part 1

**A/N**

This was originally written for **IamTheAlleyCat** for the Easter Bunny Fic swap. This is not my normal pairing – but was an interesting challenge to write. I hope you like.

Thanks to **Twilightmomoftwo** for betaing this bad boy. She did a great job and I thank her from the bottom of my heart for helping me with this.

Thanks to **GermanAlice** and **KatieCav** for prereading this monster. They both helped immensely with the flow and direction of this story.

Rated M for the lemon variety.

FYI – This will be about 3-4 chapters

**Summary:** When Jane met up with Bella in the meadow, she was begging the vampire to take her life. To take her away from the misery of her memories of Edward. Instead, Jane takes her to Volterra, where she may just find her future instead. NM AU OOC

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**A Spirited Girl**

"Master Caius, Aro has summoned you to the throne room. Jane has returned with news of her journey," Demetri called from the doorway to my chambers.

Sighing heavily, I looked up at the burly man standing at my door, interrupting me from my reading. "And how did she fare? I heard she was sent off to spy on the Cullen coven."

Aro liked to keep an eye on all the various covens and sent some of the guard to check in on them periodically. We didn't want another Romanian uprising, and tended to keep a tight leash on those who enjoyed living in larger groups. I knew that if Aro was requesting an audience with me, she must have discovered something worth reporting.

"I'm not sure, but she brought a human girl back with her. I have a feeling she's the reason for the urgent meeting."

"Tell Aro I'll be there in a moment." Placing the book I was reading on the side table, I pulled on the ceremonial robe we wore when attending to official business. Whenever I thought about the larger covens, my mind always drifted back to the Romanian uprising and how I'd lost my mate during the battle. They'd kidnapped and eventually tortured her to death, trying to get information on the secrets of the Guard.

No, I had very little patience for these large groups of vampires. My urge for revenge had never been quenched even after we burned every last Romanian that had battled against us. For this reason my heart secretly hoped we would have some sort of punishment to deliver. It'd been too long since I'd satisfied my thirst for justice.

Walking through the dimly lit castle, I could faintly hear the beating heart of our newest guest, even from clear across the grounds. From my estimation she was being held in our dungeon, usually reserved for rule breakers awaiting their trial. Most people rarely spent more than one day in there before they became nothing but ash once Aro decided their fate. He wasn't particularly lenient, and as soon as he touched your hand he knew if you were telling the truth or not. It was a handy skill to have, and one I often wished had been bestowed upon me.

"Caius, so nice you could join us," Aro commented blandly from his throne, knowing the moment I walked into the cavernous room.

"Yes, well, let's get on with it then." Sitting in the large decorative chair beside Aro and Marcus, I looked down at our petite guard member and waited for her to commence with the tale of her voyage.

"Demetri, can you please fetch the girl from her cell. I'd like to see her once Jane's done with her briefing," Aro called out, interrupting Jane, who stood with her jaw slightly parted as if she was about to speak. "I already saw the entire exchange, but could you please tell my brothers what happened and why you decided to bring the girl with you?"

Doing as Aro asked, Jane began telling us about how she'd come upon the human in a small field tucked into the middle of the deep forest near where the Cullen coven had been known to be residing.

"I would have had her for a late afternoon snack, but she kept blathering on about Edward this, and Edward that. It took me a few moments to realize she was begging for her own death. She was quite pathetic really, crying about how he didn't want her and that dying in this place would be symbolic. When I finally asked the name of the man who broke her heart, how shocked I was to realize it was Edward Cullen she was in such a state about."

This little piece of knowledge made my ears perk up. How did this human know Edward, and did she know she'd been in the presence of a vampire the entire time? If so, Edward was in some very serious trouble. The consequences for revealing our secret to the human world was quite severe, and I would be surprised if one of our kind were nonchalant about it.

"You know I would have taken care of the problem right there, but when I tried to use my power on her, she didn't even wince. I figured perhaps you would want to see if she might be useful to you." The tiny girl shrugged, reporting that the Cullens seemed to have moved on; that their house and belongings were all closed up and hadn't looked lived in for a while.

"Did you ask the human if she knew where they went?" Marcus asked, already looking bored in his chair beside me.

"I inquired, but she said she didn't know, that they disappeared once Edward had ended their courtship."

"Thank you, Jane. I think with this new revelation, we may need to set up a search party to find the Cullens and try to sort out the mess their dear Edward made." Once she'd been dismissed, Jane took her leave just as Demetri returned with our human captive.

Shoving the girl before us, Demetri stood behind her, grasping the frail girl's shoulders in an attempt to ward off any attempt at fleeing.

"You don't need to worry. I know you're faster and stronger than me. You can let go," the girl whined, wriggling around to try and get out from under his grasp.

"Silence," Aro ordered, standing up and making his way down the steps to get a closer look at her.

When she looked up, she didn't show any fear. Instead, she appeared defeated and almost resigned to whatever her fate here might be.

"What's your name?" he barked, just as he took her hand in his.

"Didn't you just tell me to be quiet?" she replied, raising her eyebrow in question.

Tisking at her, Aro stated, "Feisty. It would do you well to learn your place here. We don't take kindly to disrespect, especially from someone as _weak_ as yourself."

Rolling her eyes, she dramatically clamped her mouth shut, not revealing her name before doing so.

I tried to hide my amusement at this interesting being. Usually humans, just like wilderness creatures, knew we were the predators at the top of the food chain and were wary around us. It seemed the Cullen boy had charmed her into a false sense of security. I could only hope it wouldn't be her complete undoing.

"Interesting, she seems to be a shield of some sort. She'll make a fascinating specimen once she's turned, I'm sure." Explaining he couldn't see her thoughts, Aro wandered back to his chair to confer with Marcus and myself to decide what we should do with her.

With Aro out of the way, I could look at the young girl standing before us, taking careful note of her beauty and demeanor. She appeared thinner than she should have been; dark circles beneath her eyes made me think perhaps she hadn't slept well in a while, and not just from her terrifying journey to meet her fate here in Italy. Her hair hung limply over her shoulders, brown eyes with flecks of gold, and freckles darted across her nose, making her look much more innocent than I had a feeling she was.

She made a feeble effort to get out from Demetri's grasp at first, but eventually even that little fight seemed to drain her of all her energy, leaving her sullen and unwilling to meet any of our eyes. During her initial struggle, the flush that rose to her cheeks made my mouth water from her delectable scent. We didn't often have humans around that weren't employed by us or set out specifically as our meal. The venom running down my throat made it clearly evident it had been a few days since I'd last eaten.

"I would like to see her turned. But who'd be willing to babysit a newborn?" Aro spoke, more to himself than Marcus or I.

For some reason this girl mesmerized me. I was struck dumb by her unassuming beauty and had a feeling there was more to her crushed demeanor than met the eye. Without really thinking about it, I found myself offering to take her to our remote Alpine chalet for her first year, helping her become acclimated with the vampire world and to hone any talents she might have.

"Why?" Marcus asked, shocked that I would give up the easy luxury of living in the castle and having members of the guard attend to my every whim.

"It's been a while since I've ventured out. She seems like an interesting challenge. Besides, if I recall correctly, newborns have an insatiable appetite for things _other_ than blood." Knowing how feeding and sex went hand in hand, I was looking forward to seeing all that this firecracker of a girl had in store for me. Perhaps with a little time, she might even become a suitable companion for me. I wouldn't know if she was worthy of being a mate until her conversion, but deep down I hoped it would be the case.

I'd grown lonely over the millennia since the war, and hoped perhaps I'd found my match in the enigmatic girl from the Pacific Northwest.

"We still need to deal with the Cullens, but for now, she's all yours." Turning away from me, he addressed the human girl, telling her that she would remain here until nightfall, when we would travel to our chalet, where she would then join our kind.

"You're going to turn me? God, I thought you were going to kill me. Why turn me? I have no interest in becoming like you without Edward." The petulant girl pouted a stone's throw away from a toddler like tantrum.

"The decision has been made." With a flick of his wrist, he dismissed her back into Demetri's care, returning her to the dungeon for another few hours.

"Good luck with that one. Please keep me apprised of her development. We'll talk more later about how to handle the Cullens. I suggest you get your things together, it could be a _very_ long year." He chuckled, amused that the thought of me trying to tame what could be a beast of a vampire when I was done siring her.

_**~~**OO**~~**_

As I'd come to later find out, the girl in my custody's name was Isabella. A beautiful name for a striking, yet mysterious woman, who I really was curious to figure out, mainly how she'd gotten herself mixed up with a vampire. Especially one who so easily broke her heart. Our travel up to the chalet was comprised mostly of her giving me the silent treatment and mumbling under her breath about the ridiculousness of the situation.

I was happy to hear that Gianna had made sure the place had been opened and aired out, readying it for our arrival. We had a handful of employees on retainer around the globe specifically to prepare our various vacation homes whenever the mood struck someone in the Volturi. We were mostly creatures of habit and enjoyed the stability and consistency the castle walls provided us, but sometimes even vampires needed a vacation.

Except Isabella and I weren't on vacation. We were coming here for one reason and one reason only; so I could change her. The location was remote enough that no one would hear her screams during the change, yet close enough for me to bring back dinner when we both required sustenance.

"You do realize what's going to happen, right?"

"If you're asking me if I know that I'm going to feel like I'm on fire from the inside out, then yes. This isn't my first rodeo, partner," she quipped, shoving her hand into my face, showing me a bite scar across her wrist that shimmered in the dim light.

"You survived a bite?"

"Yep. A nomad was hell bent on having me for a snack. I was lucky that Edward loved me _sooo_ much he sucked the venom right out. So much for eternal love, right?"

Her snarky reply and petulant eye roll made me smirk at her pent up anger towards the Cullen boy. Hell hath no fury, I supposed. After hearing her speak only for a few minutes, I had a feeling she might have a little fire and brimstone inside her. A thought that excited me endlessly.

"Did he tell you why he didn't let you change," I asked, honestly curious as to what the boy was thinking.

She peered at me, eyes wide with surprise. "You're really going to try and chat with me before you kill me? I mean, really?"

"I know this may sound strange, but we will be spending quite a lot of time together for the next year or so. I'd like to find out more about your life with the Cullen boy before your memories are dimmed by the change.

Leaning her head back on the headrest of the car, she sighed and began telling me all about the mysterious boy who had stolen her heart.

"He sounds quite daft, if you ask me," I replied once she'd completed her tale.

"Tell that to my broken heart." Turning away from me, she looked out the window at the passing scenery.

I wanted to tell her that everything would be okay, that perhaps she'd even have a chance to enact her own revenge someday, but it seemed like the wrong time and place. If she held any of her wrath, I'd help her any way I could. Until then, I decided to keep my mouth shut and prepare for my own challenge.

When we arrived at the chalet, I showed her to the room that would be hers, at least until she destroyed it with her newborn lack of control. Knowing there wasn't anywhere she could really go, I told her to make herself at home and that I would be around if she needed me.

"I'm kind of tired. I'm more of a daytime sort of gal," she quipped, smiling for the first time since I'd met her, dazzling me with its brilliance.

"Right, my apologies for being so thoughtless. Gianna stocked the ice box if you're hungry. She's arranged for a chef to be on call in the morning for you. I'll see you when you wake up, then."

"I don't really have any choice, do I?" she whispered, just as I was about to close her door.

"Now that you know about us, there are really only two options. Trust me; this one's the better of the two."

"Thanks… for being honest with me." With a nod of her head, she turned and headed towards the bathroom, and I took my leave from her room, allowing her to digest all that had happened in the last two days.

**~~**OO**~~**

Isabella spent the next few days wandering around the chalet, eating her way through the fine Italian cuisine that the chef had prepared while she remained human. Seemed Isabella had heard from the Cullen boy that he missed eating and sleeping the most once he became a vampire, and she was trying to enjoy it all before I would take her human life.

We'd decided she'd be turned after spending a week at the chalet. Giving her enough time to make the necessary arrangements back at home. Time for her to write heartfelt letters, telling her parents that she'd run away because she couldn't take her heartbreak any longer. Of course it was all a ruse, but the letters would be dispatched at different times from different places in the United States, hopefully throwing off her policeman of a father. Once she was changed for a while, I would have to convince her to send her family a suicide note of some sort, so that they would call off the search. With our global connections, we'd make sure there was a body along with some DNA samples proving that she was indeed dead. Once all the formalities were taken care of, she'd officially be able to become a member of the guard.

The delay was also a bit self-serving. I found her more and more fascinating as she became less inhibited around me. Her personality was vibrant and alive whenever she allowed herself to forget about her long lost love. She was quickly growing on me, and I wanted to know as much about her as I could before irreversibly changing her into our kind.

"Caius, I still can't believe you've never tasted pizza. Giovanni is amazing," Isabella mumbled with her mouth filled with something that smelled revolting. I could only assume it was this thing called pizza.

Walking over, I looked down at the offending item, distastefully reminding her, "Yes, well back when I was turned, we snacked on fish that was cooked over an open fire. I can't really remember much, but I don't believe we had the gourmet chefs you have now."

Rolling her eyes at me, she asked, "When were you turned?"

"Back in the thirteenth century BC. I used to live in what is now known as Greece in a little sea side village. I don't really remember much more than that. Just like my father, I had been a fisherman and my wife and I lived simply. My wife didn't survive the attack by the vampire; I was left, I assume when someone interrupted my sire's dinner. I met up with Aro about a hundred years later.

"Wow, Ancient Greece," she said with wonder before asking a slew of other questions about my time as a human and my vampire life up till now.

I'd told her about living with Aro, the devastating war with the Romanians where I lost my mate and the adventures we had when Carlisle lived in Volterra. She was intelligent and asked thoughtful questions. A piece of me couldn't wait for her to be turned, knowing how our photographic memory would work to her advantage, making her even more inquisitive and knowledgeable once she could retain everything she read, saw and heard.

"So, two more days, huh?"

She didn't expand the question, but I knew exactly what she was asking. "Yes. Aro will probably have my head when he finds out I've let you remain human for as long as I have."

"Why? I mean it's not like I can really escape or something? Why does it matter if I'm turned today or next week? Why is Aro in such a rush?"

I was contemplating exactly what I should tell her. The truth, that we were worried the Cullens would make an appearance and muck up our carefully planned agenda, or the fact that I was dawdling a little bit because I was still learning so much about her and knew there would be little conversation taking place over the next month or two until she calmed substantially. Her first weeks as a newborn would be spent drinking, fucking and breaking things, along with the frustration that came with them.

"Are you in a hurry? Because we can do it right now, if you're finished eating that... What did you call it? Pizza?" I used the oldest trick in the world when you didn't want to answer a direct question, stall.

My delay tactic was met with a spark, blazing behind her eyes. "What aren't you telling me?" Her voice echoed in the expansive room. She stalked towards me, her face flushed crimson with the heat of her pent up rage. "Don't you think I deserve to know everything?"

She paced like a caged tiger, hands balled into fists by her side until she abruptly halted in front of me. Pressing an accusatory finger into my chest, she ranted, "What the fuck is it with you vampires? You think you know everything. Heaven forbid the little human might learn something that would be useful for her to know. Fuck!"

There was my feisty girl.

"There is a protocol to these things and I'm giving you the courtesy to set your affairs straight and enjoy your last few days of food, drink and sleep. If you would like me to suspend that courtesy, then by all means, challenge me. But understand this. You. Will. Lose." With a devious smile, I spun on my heel and left her standing, jaw agape, staring at my retreating form.

I hadn't intended on being quite so brusque, but I knew the more questions she asked, the more lies I would have to tell her, placating her until the change. And ultimately until we could ensnare Edward into his very own black widow's web.

**~~**OO**~~**

Today was the day.

Isabella had been a nervous wreck since yesterday afternoon. I could hear her tossing and turning all night, a shame really when it would be the last time she would enjoy that luxury. I'd left the house to find my own meal, hoping it would increase my odds of actually turning her instead of draining her completely. I hadn't changed a human in almost nine decades, but my memory of the difficulty of it hadn't diminished at all over the years.

"I'm scared," she mumbled through her last meal. A breakfast spread that I didn't think possible she'd be able to consume completely. But here she sat, picking bites of everything from eggs and pancakes to some sort of pancetta sandwich and more pizza. It took everything I had to remain in the same room with her with the disgusting odors assaulting my nose.

"I won't say it's going to be pleasant, because it's not. You'll wish for death a hundred times over before the transformation is complete, but I promise I won't leave your side and will do what I can to expedite it." I reached across the counter, lifting her chin to get her to look at me. "When it's over, you'll never have to worry about getting old, about getting fat or being uncoordinated. You'll have the grace of a cat, the nose of a bloodhound, the strength of Hercules and the beauty any human woman would die for."

"That's nice and all, but I'd rather just die." Pulling away from my grasp, she looked back down at her plate, moving the food around aimlessly. "Can't you just accidentally take too much? Let me bleed out? You seem like a great guy, but honestly, I don't want to be like you. Once upon a time, I wanted that, but without Edward, the Cullens…I just would rather not exist at all."

Walking around the island, I pulled a chair out and sat down, facing her. "Isabella, this isn't just my decision or I might consider it. You mentioned to me that Edward couldn't hear your thoughts even though he could hear everyone else's. Aro has a very similar talent and you blocked him as well. Jane can make you feel pain, yet when she tried in the woods, you didn't even flinch." Taking her hand in my own, I tugged gently until she finally raised her watery eyes. "You're incredibly special. We don't know what talent you will have when you come through the change, but you're going to be spectacular, whatever it is. And I for one can't wait to be the first one to experience the new you in all your gorgeous glory." I tried to give her a reassuring smile, but the tears began to stream down her face, her bottom lip quivering with what I assumed was restrained fear or sadness.

"Promise me one thing?"

"If I can, I will."

"Let me forget. Don't remind me of Edward. If my memories die during the change, then perhaps I can find happiness on the other side. Can you do that?" She was begging me, her lovely freckled face only a few inches from my own.

"I won't remind you of him. If you remember and ask I won't give you any further details? Will this suffice?"

With a curt nod, she pushed away from the counter, letting me know that she was going to take a long shower and change into the robe I suggested she wear, allowing me easier access to her main arteries and veins, and making it simpler for me to clean and redress her when the time came.

A half hour later I heard the water turn off and her voice calling out to me from her room.

Lying down on the bed, she mumbled, "Here goes nothing." Before I'd even had a chance to walk over she sat up suddenly and blurted, "Wait. You're not going to be all creepy and try to have sex with me or anything right?"

Chuckling at her phrasing, I replied that I would keep her covered up and respectable during the entire time. What I didn't say was that she would likely be ravenous for things other than blood when she awoke. I decided I'd let her figure that little tidbit out on her own.

I dimmed the lights, and turned on a CD of ocean sounds. I knew her hearing would be one of the first things to develop, and I didn't want her dealing with the raging fire within her own skin and having to be annoyed by listening to the whoosh of the old pipes in the walls or the birds chirping outside.

Just as she was about to lie down she whispered, "If I die instead, can you please make sure my parents and friends get the letters I wrote to them? They're in the envelopes on the desk, already addressed and everything. If you see the Cullens, tell them I really wished I knew what I did wrong for them to have to leave me. They were like a second family to me." She paused, taking a deep breath before continuing. "And if you ever see Edward, kick him in the balls for me, okay? He really broke my fucking heart." With a quick kiss to my cheek she let me know she was ready.

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**A/N**

Okay- Part 2 will post next Monday. Thanks!


	2. Part 2

**A/N**

This was originally written for **IamTheAlleyCat** for the Easter Bunny Fic swap. This is not my normal pairing – but was an interesting challenge to write. I hope you like.

Thanks to **Twilightmomoftwo** for betaing this bad boy. She did a great job and I thank her from the bottom of my heart for helping me with this.

Thanks to **GermanAlice** and **KatieCav** for prereading this monster. They both helped immensely with the flow and direction of this story.

Rated M for the lemon variety. -_** IF YOU ARE UNDER 18 - TURN AROUND RIGHT NOW- THIS CHAPTER IS INTENDED FOR ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY!**_

FYI – This will be split into 3 parts

**Summary:** When Jane met up with Bella in the meadow, she was begging the vampire to take her life. To take her away from the misery of her memories of Edward. Instead, Jane takes her to Volterra, where she may just find her future instead. NM AU OOC

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**_~~**Part 2**~~_**

The end of three days was quickly approaching. True to my word, I hadn't left her side but twice. The first was to gather a wash basin to clean her up a little after I'd pushed my venom through her wrists, thighs and neck. I knew it wouldn't really speed things up too much, but had to try anyways, understanding the agony she would be experiencing.

Of course the placement of her femoral artery also gave me a reason to gaze down at her nearly naked form without considering myself…creepy. Her skin was almost as pale as my own, a marvel in and of itself. Her creamy complexion called to me, and it took all my will not to run my hands down her silky skin. But I promised her I'd be respectful, and I knew even though she appeared to not be conscious, she could hear, feel and smell everything going around her.

I had spent much of the last few days running my hands soothingly through her long hair, and talking with her, hoping she would recognize me once the change was complete. Otherwise it would be a struggle for me to contain her if she decided to fight against me. Waking up in a new, virtually indestructible body, with overly sensitive senses was disorienting and daunting to every newborn.

Leaving her side the previous day, I captured a lone hiker, draining the man of his blood to make Isabella's first feeding as quick and easy as possible. I didn't relish the cleanup that came with a newborn's first attempt either, we'd save that for our first hunt when we were outside and could just dig a hole to dispose of the mess.

Hearing Isabella gasp loudly beside me, I realized her eyes had fluttered open, a confused yet feral look contained within.

"And Sleeping Beauty is awake," I said, smiling and taking a step away from the bed, allowing her space to get up and acclimate to her surroundings.

She pounced off the bed with a leap, pinning me up against the wall and asking me who the fuck I was.

"Isabella, I'm Caius. Your friend, and your sire," I spoke slowly and softly, allowing her to control me completely. I didn't put up any resistance, knowing she could rip my head off if she really wanted to.

"You're the man who talked to me?" I could see the wheels turning in her head as she tried to pull faint memories from her mind.

"If you let me go, I have some food for you. I know you must be thirsty." Her face lit up at the mention of a drink, I'm sure to soothe the burn in her throat. Releasing me, she took two steps back, hands up in a protective stance, and eyed me warily.

I didn't even had a chance to walk over to the table to uncover the cups of blood before her nose went up into the air and she sped to the corner, knocking over a chair that had stood in her way. Thankfully I'd put the blood into a few deep metal steins that I'd found in the back of the cupboard, knowing she would crush glass and any other delicate receptacle.

She drank greedily from the first cup, tossing it to the side when she was finished, leaving a dent in the wall where it hit. She finished the four cups then turned and asked if I had any more.

"Take a moment. Let your food settle into your stomach. I know you're hungry, but you can only drink so much without being sick."

She looked pissed and pouty all at the same time, but stood statue still, her eyes never moving off my face.

"I promise, I'll have more for you soon-" She sprung like a cat, and I had no time to react before she was on top of me, knocking me to the floor, my head bouncing off the Turkish carpet with a thud.

"I… I need…" She looked so hungry, but not for food. Her body was trembling above me, her eyes wild and hopelessly confused. She couldn't express her overwhelming sudden sexual desire. I could smell her arousal in the air, and wanted to take care of her properly, but something held me back.

"I know, baby. I know." Tugging her down on top of me, I held her gingerly, trying to soothe an ache I knew wouldn't go away for quite some time. No matter how many times we fucked or how many times she fed, she'd never fully quench the rampant appetite for both.

We lay together on the floor as she'd continued rubbing up against me like a cat in heat. I did my best to explain that her body's natural response to the blood was desire, but she never ceased her dry humping of my leg. I tried to soothe her with words, giving her council about the new sensations I could tell she was having, from her exceptional hearing and sight to her gawky awkwardness in her new and improved body. As much as I wanted to give in to the lustful feelings we were both having, I needed to be the level headed one here. Tugging her to her feet, I suggested we get some fresh air. "Come on, let's go for a run. It will ease some of your restlessness."

Ah, the pouty face was back, but I knew better than to fall for it. Once we had sex, we'd never leave the chalet, and I still needed to teach her how to cleanly and quietly take down her prey.

With a huff, she stalked off towards the door, ripping it right off the hinges.

Looking back apologetically, she shrugged and kept going, not waiting for me to explain where we were going or what we were up to. I was following close behind her, not wanting her to get too far ahead in case there was a human just wandering about the woods, even though it was a rare occurrence. Suddenly Isabella wasn't standing in front of me.

In fact she wasn't anywhere within my eye sight.

I ran outside, calling her name into the vast expanse of mountains terrain, using all of my senses to figure out where she went to no avail. She'd disappeared into thin air.

I ran in wide circles around the perimeter of the property, hoping to catch her scent, anything that would clue me in to what had just happened when I heard her tinkling laugh from behind me.

Spinning around, there she was perched high on a rock above me. Her hair was windblown around her face, eyes sparkling with mischief and her finger beckoned me towards her.

"I don't know how I did that, but Caius, I can make myself disappear!" She laughed in delight, jumping from one rock to another, discovering her agile reflexes. "One minute I was walking down the corridor, the next I was over there perched in that tree overlooking the valley. I heard you calling for me, and somehow you didn't see me. What's going on? Is this my gift?" She was speaking so quickly I could barely comprehend her sting of thoughts.

"Hey, slow down." I walked up to her, hands raised submissively, because while she suddenly seemed happy and effervescent with her new found ability, I knew her demeanor could change like the wind, and I needed to be prepared for a storm should it blow in.

"Watch this," she exclaimed, a look of determination on her face before she vanished. "See, I can disappear and reappear somewhere else. This is so cool."

I leaned up against a tree and watched as she playfully transported herself all around the property trying to figure out how her talent worked. I wanted to let her play with her gift for a little bit before I began trying to help her to refine it, figure out exactly what she could and couldn't do. For now, she was having fun and I didn't want to spoil it with lessons just yet.

It was a couple of hours later when she finally bored with her newfound talent, telling me she was thirsty.

"Would you like to learn how to hunt?"

She smiled so brightly at the suggestion, it was almost blinding even in the dwindling light. The change had given her slender boyish figure a more mature look with subtle curves where there hadn't been any. Her eyes were a sparkling red, of bright crimson that I knew in time would fade to the color of a finely aged port. I was struck by how enhanced her beauty had become even though it was still fundamentally still her.

With a less than subtle cough, she asked if she was going to learn to hunt or if I was going to instead stand gawking at her all night.

"Sorry, just captivated by your beauty. When we go back in, you should really have a look at yourself. You turned out spectacularly."

"And I'm sure Aro will be absolutely pleased then," she dryly commented, making me wonder how much of her memory she'd been able to recover.

Grasping her hand in mine, we walked towards the edge of a steep drop-off so I could teach her how to use all of her abilities to find her next meal. "Are you ready?"

She looked deep in thought and I wished I had Aro's gift at that moment to see what she was wondering about. "Do you just kill willy nilly, or do you have some kind of way to weed them out. I'm not sure I'm going to be able to kill just on a whim."

As much I wanted to reassure her, I knew if she was hungry enough, the blood lust would take over and she'd go on pure instinct. It wouldn't matter if it was a mother holding her newborn babe if she was blinded enough.

"It depends on where I am. Being up here, we won't have quite the same selection as we do in Volterra. I generally try to focus on men, who are older or don't look like they'd be missed. But usually we have them brought up to the castle, so I don't have a say in the selection. Once they're brought in, they won't be leaving, no matter who they are." I decided being honest and forthright would be the best option, if I hoped for a future with her.

She seemed to accept my word, and moved on to the task at hand. She was curious how to track someone and take them down with as little force and mess as possible.

After explaining my personal tactic, I told her to close her eyes and to listen for the sound of a beating heart and the most delectable smell she could ever imagine.

Lifting her nose into the air, she shifted her stance to face away from me, her brow furrowed in deep concentration. I knew she was catching on when her eyes opened wide, a grin planted across her face.

There are two people. Down in the valley, that way," she said, pointing off to the north.

"Very good. Shall we go see what's for dinner?" We both sprinted down the mountain, laughing and joking about who was going to have first dibs.

I was amazed at Isabella's composure as she crept through the woods when we got closer to the pair. I was shocked she didn't maul the first person she came upon, mangling them in her attempt to get at their jugular. Instead, she stood, looking between the two men, who were sitting at a campsite, one playing guitar while the other roasted something over the fire. She looked back at me to gauge my reaction to the two.

"So, which one do you want? The musician or the chef?" she teased, walking towards me. I was struck dumb by her restraint, my face must have showed my awestruck, because she placed her fingers across my brow, trying to smooth down the crease that ran across it.

"What's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Do you realize what you just did?" My smile spread across face and I pulled her into a tight embrace. "Isabella, you should have just devoured them. How did you stop like that? I've never seen a newborn with such composure around a meal before, especially one that's only a day old."

She shrugged, looking just as surprised as I felt. "I don't know. But if we don't get on with it, I may devour them both." With a flirty grin, she disappeared for a moment, reappearing right behind the man playing guitar, snapping his head to the side and sinking her teeth into his neck.

Sprinting over, I did the same for the man by the fire, dragging him quickly away from the burning embers. I liked ambient lighting, but fire made my venom run cold.

It was the one thing I forgot to tell Isabella in all that I'd told her when we were together in the house.

Finishing my meal, I looked up and watched as Isabella stood over the dead man, from the look on her face, she was feeling guilty about what she'd just done.

"Isabella?" I called, trying to get her to focus on something other than the dead body that lay limply at her feet.

She crumbled to the ground, holding the dead man to her chest, rocking him like a baby. I wasn't sure what was happening. Usually we didn't develop feelings towards our meals, so this was completely foreign to me.

"I…I killed him," she stuttered, taking deep breaths I knew she didn't really need.

"Shh… it's okay." I picked her up and walked her over a river that was flowing near the campsite, wanting to get her cleaned up and away from her kill. I was overwhelmed with my need to comfort her as she mourned the man she'd just killed. "You need to eat and you're at the top of the food chain now. I know the Cullens lived differently, and if you want to explore that, you can, okay?" Brushing the hair out of her eyes, I kissed her forehead, pulling her in close, trying to give her the support I thought she wanted. It had been so long since I'd been in the company of an emotional female, especially one as volatile as a newborn; I was flummoxed at what to do.

Her head snapped up and she whined, "You promised."

Shit. I had mentioned the Cullens unintentionally. Although I felt bad I had broken my promise to her, I was glad that she hadn't completely lost all of her memories.

Taking her face in my hands, I rested my forehead to hers, and apologized. "I'm sorry. You're right. I did."

It wasn't a moment later that her eyes got wide, her pupils expanded and I could smell her arousal. Her emotions flipped so quickly I was having a hard time keeping up.

Her lips found mine, and she kissed me with a passion I hadn't felt since my mate had passed. Sparks flew, and I knew there was no turning back now.

Recognizing she had feelings and emotions she was trying to purge, I allowed her to lead, pushing me onto my back, her hand roaming everywhere and nowhere all at the same time. She was urgent, clumsy and it was all incredibly arousing.

"I… I don't know what I'm doing," she mumbled, reminding me that she was still such a young girl, one who hadn't experienced much in her human life. Being alive for thousands of years tended to skew your perspective on things. Sexuality being one of them.

"You're doing fine. You're an instinctual being now, close your eyes, and go with it. You won't falter, I promise." I had already reassured her when we were in my room earlier, that her body had completely undergone a metamorphosis. Vampire bodies had no use for the various organs like humans did, and as I'd found out from my mate, the hymen was also one of those superficial human body parts that had been dissolved in her transition. I knew if she allowed herself to follow her instincts, she'd be amazed at what she was capable of.

It seemed my reassurance was enough, and she let her hands and mouth do all the work from that point on. Our clothes were quickly disposed of and when she stood above me, I couldn't take my eyes off of her. I thanked the heavens for a photographic memory, because her lithe body was simply breathtaking.

Not able to wait another moment longer, I sprung to my feet, grabbing her by the waist and kissed her fiercely. Her back was now up against a tree, one leg wrapped around my waist while the other tried to use the ground for balance.

"Are you ready?" I mumbled into her neck as I allowed my teeth to graze her neck, kissing and sucking where my mark was plainly evident in the moonlight.

Her red eyes glowed in the dim light, showing no fear. A fierce look of determination was the only glimpse I got before she kissed me with everything she had. Her hands were tugging painfully on my hair, but I didn't care. I'd need to remind her about her strength another time. For now, I just needed to claim her.

_To complete my siring duties, _I thought, but knew that wasn't really it. I was longing for a mate in my life, and with one thrust, I would soon find out if this lovely girl would be mine.

Lifting her other leg, I slammed into her juicy pussy, its silky tightness consuming me like a raging fire. I moaned into the wilderness, roaring at the intensity I felt.

Isabella didn't even blink. She watched me, and met me thrust for thrust, until I began rubbing her clit, sending her eyes rolling and her head banging into the tree behind her.

She was mewling like a kitten, telling me that the sensations were all too much. I tried to slow my pace down, to let her body calm, but she wouldn't let me. Asking me what I thought I was doing, she shoved her hips against mine, her hands digging into my ass in an attempt at maintaining the rhythm.

She let out a guttural scream before vanishing from right before my eyes. One minute she was trapped between me and the tree, the next, she wasn't.

It seems we would need to work on focusing her abilities before we tried this again. I didn't appreciate being left high and dry, as it were.

An instant later, she was back where she was, a sheepish look graced her face. "I'm so sorry." If she could've blushed, I'm sure she would have been the color of the ripest tomato.

I tried to wave it off, but she must have realized what had happened, because when she looked down at my throbbing erection, she appeared steely resolved. Taking a deep breath I knew she didn't need, she quickly knelt down on the ground in front of me, taking a long languid lick before taking my entire length into her mouth.

I had wanted to discuss her disappearing act, but with her hot warm mouth around me, I suddenly couldn't think of anything to talk about. My hand slid to the back of her head while her own found my ass, urging me to fuck her face. For someone with limited experience, I was impressed with how quickly she allowed her animal urges to control what she wanted.

I didn't want to explode in her mouth; I wanted her pussy to be contracting around me when that happened. I hadn't waited a few hundred years or so for a fantastic blowjob. Tugging her upright, I spun her around, bending her over a low branch and thrusting into her from behind. She let out a groan, her own fingers attacking her clit this time, and I kept up my blistering pace until I could feel her trembling beneath me. Tugging on her hair, I pulled her head up slightly and bit into her neck as we both came around one another. I hoped my bite would be grounding enough to keep her from repeating her vanishing act.

Licking her wound, I smoothed her hair, and whispered how fantastic she was. Turning her face, she kissed me softly, spinning around to hug me. Thanking me for relieving her of some of her thirst.

"Is it always that intense?" she asked, moving to sit in my lap as we both watched the moon's reflection dance across the river.

"With mated partners, yes." I didn't want to scare her with the prospect of us being mates, but after coupling with her, I knew it was true. The combination of our pheromones still clung heavily to the air, and if another vampire was in the neighborhood, the scent would scream at them to be wary. Mated couples were dangerous when surprised. The protective gene was so powerful; you would rather lose your life than your mate. Which is what happened all those years ago to Athena.

Sitting together in companionable silence my mind drifted, thinking about the Cullen boy who had broken this spirited girl's heart. I knew Aro would be contacting me soon with any developments that had been made at reaching them and I wondered what would happen when Isabella was faced with her past.

Out of the darkness she whispered, "Does this mean I'm yours?"

I couldn't contain the smile that graced my face. If she was asking, I was accepting. "If you want to be, yes."

Looking up at me, a question appeared to be dancing at the end of her tongue. I just had to wait for her to decide to ask me whatever it was.

I wasn't nearly prepared for the sting of questions that blurted out of her mouth. "What's going to happen? Do we just stay up here in the mountains until you think I'm able to handle being among the civilized? Am I always going to be that ravenous for you after I eat? Does this crazy ass connection I feel towards you, mean that you're like my mate? Does this mean my feelings for Edward are completely gone?" She refused to look at me, nuzzling her head into the crook of my neck, arms wrapped tightly around my chest.

"Isabella, if you want me to answer your questions, then have the good decency to look at me."

"I just feel so conflicted. I'm still thirsty even though we just ate. I'm ravenous for you even though we just fucked. I'm angry at the Cullens even though I wasn't supposed to remember a God damn thing!" She hopped up off my lap, her frustration palatable in her restless pacing and the panic scents she was emitting.

There was my newborn.

"I can currently help you with two of those three things," I teased, knowing there were at least another couple of people in the woods further down the valley.

"I'm being serious," she huffed, but the look in her eyes meant that she was up for at least one of the adventures I was offering.

"As was I." Letting out a loud predatory growl, I commanded her, "Come here."

* * *

**A/N**

Part 3 - the conclusion will post next Monday! Thanks for reading


	3. Part 3

**~~**Part 3**~~**

The weeks flew by as Isabella and I grew closer and closer. She was still volatile and her moods would change with the wind, but she was so fascinating and youthful. It made me yearn to go back to my first years when everything was new and worth discovering. I didn't have someone who could answer my questions and frustrations; I just had to figure it out for myself. That was until I found Aro, but by then I'd been around for about a hundred years and had figured a lot of it out on my own.

We were still testing Bella's talent, pushing the boundaries to see what she could and couldn't do. I was afraid to see if she could teleport herself into the past or not, a fear she might not be able return if she could. Not to mention any future ramifications she might wreak havoc on.

We learned that she could teleport herself to anywhere in the world just by thinking of the place. She could disappear, blending into the scenery with absolutely no trace, but could still see her prey while they were blind to her. She could teleport, at least one person, with her for short distances. We stretched her talent, but it would exhaust her to try and take me further than a few hundred miles at a time. It was too taxing on her, so obviously that wouldn't be the best way to travel together. We could however go back and forth to Volterra with only minimal discomfort on her part.

We'd recently heard from Aro that the Cullens were on their way to the castle. The tiny psychic had seen Bella change, but wasn't sure when it was to happen, which was why they hadn't come running right from the moment the vision occurred. Aro had requested us to arrive today, expecting the Cullens sometime after dark.

I watched as Isabella paced back and forth around the room, chewing on the side of her thumb, a nervous habit she hadn't seemed to have lost when she turned.

"So, we really have to go back? Do you think I'm ready?" she timidly asked, packing a few outfits into a backpack we would both carry with us when she teleported us to Volterra.

"As long as you get us into the castle, we'll be fine. Your control is quite admirable for being so new, but yes, I think we need a little more time before we just let you run rampant about the world," I replied, kissing her in an attempt to soothe her nerves.

Not willing to accept a simple affectionate kiss, Isabella pushed me up against the wall in her room. Rather, the third room she was now occupying after we'd managed destroying her first two with our wild romps around the bedroom. We'd learned to take it outside if we both were yearning for a more aggressive experience.

Just when she began marking me with her teeth, I heard her sexy growl, "Outside, now."

I now knew to hang on, because in the blink of an eye we were standing in the grassy area just outside the chalet. Sometimes the teleportation thing really was rather exciting.

She never stopped her exploration of my body, and I was always amazed at her concentration when she put her mind to it. Of course sex was often first or second on her mental list of things to do, so it shouldn't have been as shocking as I seemed to think it was.

"I need to work out some energy before we see them. Hard, fast and from behind," she ordered, nipping at my ear before wandering over to the boulder that we'd discovered was the perfect height for what we had in mind and shedding her clothes in the process. "Stop staring and get your handsome ass over here," she called, knowing my propensity towards gawking at her.

I couldn't help it. We'd become mates and I never ceased in appreciating her beauty, mentally and physically.

Taking her hip in one hand, the other swept quickly through her folds, checking to be sure she was as aroused as I thought. Licking her juices off my fingers, I grabbed her face and kissed her hard, allowing her to taste herself on my tongue.

Over the month we'd been together, I knew she was polarized. She wanted it in one of two ways. Either extremely aggressive and feral, or sweet, tender and romantic. There wasn't much in between for her. Usually it was fast and hard after her meals, but sometimes when she would be exhausted from our testing her talents she would want to be held and cherished. Like showing my love for her was an instant battery charge for her. She would be back to her fiery and spirited self after a few hours of love making and cuddling. I was a little annoyed that Aro was probably going to tease me about it when he saw our interactions in my mind, but I would put my life on the line for this woman, never mind a little good-natured ribbing.

After seeing me lonely and miserable for so long, Aro was quite pleased that Isabella had turned out to be such a suitable companion. I'd already explained to him about our connection and that when the time was right we would be going through the mating ceremony to make it official within the Guard, but at the moment, I needed to get her calmed down enough to be in the same room as the Cullens.

Pressing on the middle of her back, she sprawled further onto the boulder. Kneeling down behind her, I nuzzled her round supple ass, biting her left cheek before taking a generous taste of her.

"Fuck, that feels good," she moaned, shoving her ass back farther, making it more accessible to my mouth.

She tasted earthy and sweet, the pheromones pulsing out of her pores made me dizzy with lust. Dragging my fingers across her center, I used her natural juices to lubricate her tight hole, never ceasing my attack on her clit. Writhing above me, I knew she was close based on our frequent past experience. Adding a second finger into her ass, I tongued her nub feverishly, waiting for her to come into my mouth. I loved eating her out and lapped all of it up, before standing and slamming my length into her roughly, exactly the way she wanted and needed it today. One hand continued to pin her to the boulder, while the other mimicked my thrusts in her rear entrance.

"Fuck yes!" she screamed, continuing to give me her standard string of expletive laced, harder, rougher, right there, commentary.

Tugging on her long hair, I pulled her head back, kissing her fiercely while giving her ass a quick smack.

I pulled out quickly, growling in her ear, "I want to fuck that tight ass of yours." Pressing her back down onto the rock, I tugged her hips up higher and began slowly entering into her ass, the tightness almost overwhelming us both. I paused for a moment, waiting for her to let me know it was okay to move forward. We'd tried this only once before, and I wanted to make sure she was ready to continue.

With a push of her hips, I was completely sheathed inside her, and instead of taking a moment to acclimate, she continued rocking her hips back and forth, my cue to keep moving.

This woman below me was making me see fireworks behind my eyes. She was so responsive and vocal, which only spurred me on. With a bite to her shoulder, I released deep into her and could feel her muscles contracting with her own orgasm.

Delectable. Simply delicious.

It was all I could say about it. I wasn't even the newborn, yet I found myself ravenous for her body. But after a second, I realized it wasn't just about that. I was insatiable for all of her. All the time.

Sitting cuddled together on the ground in post-coital bliss, I asked, "Are you ready? We should probably shower and head out. I'm sure the Cullens will be arriving promptly after sundown."

Leaning across my prone body, she smiled deviously. The one she gave me when she had something wicked planned.

"You mentioned Aro didn't know if Edward was coming with them, right?"

"Carlisle only said they were coming as a family, wanting to see that you were unhurt." My hand traveled down her back, and I stroked her smooth skin as she gazed up down at me from where she'd perched herself across my chest.

"I don't want to shower then. If Edward is there, I want him to smell you all over me," she stated, chuckling at her own immature behavior while nuzzling my neck affectionately.

We laid there together watching the sun set below the tree line, talking about what I thought would happen, and how I needed her to behave while we in the throne room.

She was now considered my mate, and would stand behind my chair just like Aro's wife. We decided that she wouldn't speak unless she felt comfortable enough to do so. I didn't want her to feel obligated, and instead came up with some hand signals that she would tap into my back or arm to tell me if she was feeling uncomfortable or needed a break. I didn't really care what happened to the Cullens at this point; I just wanted to make sure that Isabella was taken care of. I had no illusions that this meeting with her old friends would be challenging even with the limited memories she still had.

And depending on what sentence Aro weighed down on Edward or the entire family, it could be quite traumatic. As strong and resilient as Isabella had been during this first month of life, I knew there were some unresolved issues that would speed into the spotlight like a runaway train.

"Ugh, can't you just go without me?"

Ah, the pouty face was back.

"I could, but I should have left hours ago if I was going to get there in time. Besides, Aro is anxious to see your new found talents in action. I'm afraid once he sees them; he won't let you out of the castle."

"Let him try, I can disappear before his very eyes."

Vanishing just as she struck a dramatic pose, she appeared at the door by the house, laughing and shouting to me to get a move on before disappearing again into the chalet.

I couldn't help but smile at how much she enjoyed using her talent, usually to scare the crap out of me. But the next couple of days would be quiet telling. I had no idea what was going to happen, but I only hoped I could keep her emotions in check and keep her from tearing Edward literally limb from limb.

"Let's get this over with," I sighed to myself, heading inside. Wishing nothing more than to be back here in our little mountain oasis where no one would bother us but the birds.

**~~**OO**~~**

Isabella transported us just inside the castle walls. I wasn't sure how great a reception we'd get if we appeared right in the middle of Aro having his afternoon snack or something.

With a curt nod at Gianna, who was dutifully manning her desk, we walked passed, heading towards my room. I knew Isabella would need to rest for a little bit because of the strain it took for her to transport us both here. What I wasn't prepared for was her head to snap back in Gianna's direction, my instincts thankfully knowing to hold on to her arms tighter before she could go after the human.

"Calm yourself. Don't inhale through your nose. We worked on this before. You have the strength to resist it," I whispered, tugging her away from the person she was hoping to make a meal out of.

I immediately felt bad, completely forgetting that she usually became ravenous after we finished working with her gifts. I'd need to let Heidi know that we'd need a meal for Isabella right away. Especially before we were to meet with the Cullens.

"I'm okay. Sorry. I just wasn't ready to be so close after getting here." She sounded so repentant, almost like a scolded child. Wrapping my arms around her, I told her it was my fault for not just driving us here. It wouldn't have expended so much of her energy and restraint.

"No. It's better that I learn how to handle it. I'm sure this won't be the last time I have to do it."

So wise for such a youngling.

"Let's get to my chambers and you can rest. I don't think they've arrived yet. We can get you recharged before having to make your grand entrance."

I knew Aro was going to make a complete spectacle out of her, even if I asked him not to. He always had a flair for the dramatic, and if Edward was in the Cullens company, it would be ten times worse for her.

"Master Caius," called Demetri from down the corridor. "Good to see you sir. Gianna notified us of your return."

I couldn't help but see the way his eyes roamed over Isabella's body; her old jeans and t-shirt much more snug fitting now than they were when she first arrived. Making a mental note, I would have to send someone out to purchase her some new clothes, ones befitting her new station in life as my mate and part of the ruling family.

Struggling to keep the growl from my voice, I accepted his greeting and told him that after getting Isabella settled, I'd go find Aro and brief him on what had been going on since we last spoke.

Pushing open the door to my room, I wasn't surprised to see that Gianna had someone in to open the windows and clean it a bit before our arrival. I could smell the fresh laundry detergent still clinging to the sheets on my bed; I'm sure only hours from being taken out of the dryer.

"The bathroom is back there if you want a shower." I nodded towards the door over her shoulder. "I'm going to see if Heidi has brought anyone back recently. I need you at your full strength for tonight."

She looked so fragile, so lost in this moment. I wondered what was going on in her head, and decided to ask. "Are you okay?"

"I knew this day was coming, but I'm not ready." She clung to my shirt, mumbling that she wasn't ready, over and over again.

"You can do this. We need you to do this. The Cullens broke the law. And even though you are now living among us, it doesn't change the fact that they left you with the knowledge of our kind, and from their actions, they weren't planning on returning to change you themselves." Hugging her tightly, I laid her down on the bed, running my hand soothingly through her long silky hair. "You'll be fine."

With the flick of my fingers, I undid the button of her jeans, whispering, "Let me make you feel better, baby."

She didn't resist. I could tell from the dark circles beneath her eyes, she didn't have much fight in her. Making quick work of the rest of her clothes, I knelt down between her legs and nuzzled them open.

I knew she needed to feel loved, cherished and above all else, safe. Like most vampires, we abhorred feeling vulnerable, and I knew her current weakened state left her feeling on edge.

My lips kissed her hip bone before moving towards her center, nibbling and licking my way to my own private paradise. Once I'd managed to bring her to orgasm, I slid between her slick folds and made love to her slowly and gently, holding her in my arms the entire time. She was so precious; I couldn't imagine my life without her now.

Resting together afterward was the first time my mind jumped to a thought that should have been bothering me since we first coupled.

What if she chose Edward?

I must have tensed at the thought, rousing Isabella from my side.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm fine."

"Don't feed me that bullshit, Caius, what's wrong? I can smell fear all over you," she asked, sitting up to look at my face.

Ah, she must be feeling better to be calling me out on my lie.

"Just thinking about what could happen tonight. With you. With the Cullen boy." I couldn't even bring to say his name out loud.

She ran her hand across my back, kissing my neck affectionately and repeated that she wasn't going anywhere.

"He didn't want me, remember?" She tried to make it sound light and joking, but I could tell from the wobble in her voice, she remembered more than perhaps she wanted to.

Giving me a little shove off the bed, she reminded me of my original quest to procure food for her.

"As you wish," I replied, kissing her knuckles before putting my clothes back on and heading out the door.

**~~**OO**~~**

Aro was sitting beside me in his ostentatiously ornate chair, holding my wrist and watching everything that had gone on in my mind since I last left him.

Every now and then, his eyes would widen and he'd chuckle, making me wonder exactly what he was finding so humorous about my interactions with Isabella.

"She really hid in your shower and scared the crap out of you. Fantastic," he commented, closing his eyes to continue his preview of my life.

When all was said and done, it seemed he found her playful take on her gift to be the most entertaining of all my thoughts. He was relieved that I'd finally found a suitable mate after all this time, and commented that I'd seemed recharged and reinvigorated in my return.

Once he'd completed his viewing, he leaned back and looked thoughtfully at me. Tenting his fingers in front of his face he commented, "She has remarkable control and a talent that is one I've never seen among our kind. I can't wait to see what she does when the Cullens are brought in."

"They're here already?"

"They arrived just before you did. Jane's keeping an eye on them as they get settled into the guest suites. I figured the tower was far enough away from you both?" His Cheshire cat like grin made him appear to be just as sinister as I knew he could be.

"What? You and Isabella wanted your privacy, did you not?" Shrugging, he called for Demetri to assemble the guard and to have Jane bring the Cullens back.

"You never did say, is the Cullen boy with them?"

"Indeed."

Standing, I headed for the door, telling him I needed to prepare Isabella for the confrontation.

Rolling his eyes, he replied, "You obviously haven't gotten a sense of humor while you were gone. I thought it would be amusing to see what happened when her claws _really_ came out." Chuckling, he waved his hand towards the door, dismissing me until the guard was fully assembled where we'd make our grand entrance.

Walking into my chambers I wasn't surprised to see Isabella sitting on the bed, her head buried in her hands.

"He's here, isn't he? He came." Her eyes were questioning and I could smell her apprehension from across the room.

"He did." Grasping her hand, I tugged her up and into my arms. "I don't know why he left you, but whatever the reason, it brought you to me." Angling her chin upwards, I wanted her to look into my eyes and not only hear, but to see the sincerity in my words. "You're my mate. No matter what happens out there, you will always have a home with me."

She nodded, trying to appease me, but I could tell my words did little to soothe her.

Kissing her softly I told her about my meeting with Aro, and how amused he was by all of the pranks she'd played on me when we were at the Chalet. I was rambling on, trying to get her to relax, but it was no use. She was in her head, and I couldn't delay us any longer.

"Remember, you're considered royalty now. As long as you try to keep your composure, you'll be fine. If you start feeling agitated, give me the sign and I'll put a pause on the proceedings so we can confer privately until you're ready to continue. Okay?"

We arrived back at the throne room, Isabella's arm tucked firmly in mine own. She had her head held high, but I could still see a glimmer of doubt in her stance. Her fingers were drumming on her leg and her lip was captured between her front teeth.

The doors were wide open, and from the din inside, I knew everyone must have already been assembled.

"Caius, Isabella. Come, come." Aro called from his chair, waving us in before we'd even entered the room.

I could see everyone assembled in their usual stations. The premier guard, responsible for protecting Aro, Marcus and I were all in a U-shape behind the thrones, while the secondary guard were in formation around the perimeter of the room, spaced at even intervals.

Aro was taking no chances, it seemed.

In the center, stood the Cullens in a straight line, Edward in the middle, flanked by the other couples in the family. It was really quite impressive to see them all here in support of him, when with the flick of his wrist, Aro could sentence them all to death.

I imagined none of the mates would allow their significant others to arrive without them, knowing all too well how debilitating a loss of a loved one could be.

I'd been living proof of that solitary and inconsolable type of existence for hundreds of years.

There was an audible gasp from the entire family when they caught a glimpse of Isabella by my side, wearing a similar robe as my own.

"I was right," sobbed the petite girl in the center.

"Bella," whispered Edward. Seeing her put a pained expression on his face, and I was inwardly proud to be causing him any kind of anguish after the way he treated her. My lovely Isabella deserved someone who would cherish her forever.

"Noooo! She's mine," the boy screamed, trying to escape the arms of Alice and Carlisle, who had both been flanking him.

Ah, I'd casually forgotten the boy could read minds.

Isabella suddenly curled into my side before disappearing for a moment. She must have felt threatened by Edward's sudden outburst and her instinct was to protect herself.

She reappeared, muttering she was sorry, but now that everyone saw her parlor trick, the room had erupted into a cacophony of noise.

The Cullens all looked among themselves, trying to figure out what had happened. I could hear Edward explaining Isabella's talents to them as he pulled the information from our thoughts.

We made it up to my throne when Aro stood up, clapping his hands together twice and announcing, "Settle down everyone. We are not here to gawk at our dear Isabella."

I could see all the Cullens working hard to keep their mouths shut, but the huge man on the end couldn't help but crack a big smile and say, "Damn, you look gooood, Belly-baby."

Of course the attractive blond beside him cuffed him upside his head, telling him to shut his trap.

"She does, doesn't she? Since you seem to have so much to say, why don't you come up here?" Aro waved for the burly man to approach.

He didn't get too far before Carlisle grabbed him by the arm, telling Aro that if he wanted information that it should come from Carlisle directly.

Emmett, as I'd come to find out, got back in line and Carlisle stepped forward, his head held high, and eyes never straying from Aro's. He held out his wrist and we all stood silently as Aro grasped his old friend's arm and closed his eyes to concentrate on what proved to be damning evidence.

Isabella's hand tensed where it rested on my shoulder, and I saw the Cullen boy staring longingly at her. Glancing over my shoulder, I could see from the look on her face she was pissed, and based on the increasing pressure she was squeezing me with, I knew her hold on her temper was tenuous at best.

"Isabella, calm," I whispered, placing my hand over the one that was resting on my shoulder, trying to communicate that this would all be over soon and she wouldn't have to see the immature oaf ever again if I had anything to say about it.

"I just want to find out why," she seethed through clenched teeth, but I knew our words were still loud enough for everyone in the room.

Aro's eyes opened at the sound of her voice. Turning to her, he said she'd have her chance once he was finished with Edward's thoughts.

Sighing heavily, Aro held his long time friend's hand and told him how disappointed he was. Even though Carlisle originally had the intention of one day turning Isabella, they left when Edward chose to break up with her.

"It was Edward's decision to leave. He didn't want Isabella to have to live this life," Carlisle commented, stepping back from my brother.

"And this life is so dreadful?"

"I have come to accept it, like many of our kind, but Edward has always struggled. I never gave him the choice, and he's regretted much of his life because of it. When he asked us to leave Bella, we did. He never wanted her to have to change for him."

"How admirable, yet still illegal." Aro dismissed Carlisle back to the family and requested Edward to come forward.

Edward's approach was completely different than Carlisle's. The boy appeared utterly defeated, his eyes were on the ground and his walk was more of a slow shuffle than anything.

"Stand up straight for God's sake." Aro chastised, grabbing his hand once he'd gotten close enough.

Every once and a while Aro would shake his head, muttering to himself, but for the most part the entire room was silent.

When he was finished, he threw Edward's wrist back at him, as if he was disgusted to have even touched the man.

"You are truly a pathetic excuse for a man. To believe Isabella couldn't make up her own mind about her future. You silly, silly boy. Unfortunately for you, your pitiful attempt at giving up the woman you love resulted in her mating with Caius. So, well done." He wandered over to my chair, taking Isabella's hand and asking her to come over to where Edward still stood. His head bowed in shame.

"I know the truth, but I believe it would be better if you asked your questions directly to Edward. His responses may surprise, and equally disgust you as much as they have me."

Scooting to the edge of my throne, I wanted to be ready, should my love decide to really take out her anger on the boy standing before her.

"Why, Edward? Why would you leave me, when all I wanted was to love you?" She glanced back at me, mouthing that she was sorry, but I understood her need for the truth.

When the boy finally looked up, he appeared wounded from her inquiry.

"Bella," he cried, kneeling down on the steps before her.

"My name is Isabella. I'm not longer that stupid girl you left in the forest," she growled, demanding he tell her his reasons for dismissing her so easily out of his life.

Looking up from the floor, he pleded, "I lied. I never stopped loving you, but I wanted to give you the life I was never able to have. One filled with a house full of children instead of one filled with frozen in time teenagers." His hands were upraised, looking for forgiveness. Instead of taking his hands, she took a step back, asking him to explain everything.

"After what happened with Jasper, I knew there were only two choices. Let you go, or turn you. I thought I was being noble, but really I think I left half of my soul with you in the woods that day. I've been wandering the globe in an attempt at forgetting about you. Nothing worked. I was headed back to Forks to find you when Alice called me about her vision. She said she saw you being changed, but not who had done it and the location wasn't familiar to her. We weren't even sure if it wasn't one of us who would do it. But when we arrived in Forks your dad told us you'd run away and threatened to shoot me if I ever came back to his house."

Isabella looked off in the distance, smiling at the comment, likely remembering a good memory of her father.

"I would have done anything for you," she whispered, shaking her head in wonder. "Anything. And you left." Her voice started to crescendo, her words echoing through the cavernous room. "You all fucking left me. How _could_ you? You were my _family,_ and you _left_ me without even a second thought." Her eyes pierced into each and every member of the coven standing before her. She was disgusted by their actions.

"Bella, let me explain," Alice called, rushing forward.

"No. It's too late to explain anything. The damage is done. I realize I meant nothing to you, and as such, you now all mean nothing to me." Turning on her heel, she walked back, pausing in front of me to give me a searing kiss before making her way to where she'd been standing behind my chair.

The Cullens weren't giving up however, each trying to talk over one another before Aro had finally had enough.

"Silence!" he bellowed.

When the room finally quieted, he continued, "If you had not decided to return to Forks, I would be sentencing you to death right now, Edward. However, since you saw the error of your ways and were planning on making things right if she let you, I will suspend that particular sentence."

Relief washed over all of their faces, but I knew he wasn't going to let Edward get off without some sort of punishment.

"If Isabella does not object, I hereby sentence you to a hundred years of servitude in the Royal Guard as part of our protective detail. Your mind reading will come in handy. Isabella?" Turning towards her, I waited to see if she would be able to handle having him live so close to her.

"As long as he is not required to spend time with me, I'm fine with it."

"Excellent. Carlisle, you and the rest of your family are welcome to stay as long as you wish. Edward, I'll have Gianna work out living arrangements for you."

Aro smiled serenely across the room, dismissing everyone except for Isabella and myself.

We spent the next hour discussing how Isabella's transition was going, along with our plans for a mating ceremony we hoped could take place in the next few days before we returned to the chalet. After showing him all of Isabella's various teleporting and disappearing talents, Aro was like a kid on Christmas. He was ecstatic to have such a phenomenal talent now among the royal family, especially one that was also impervious to his and Jane's talents. He requested to come visit the chalet to personally help develop her talents at some point in the next few months. I doubted he would be able to wait even a month before wanting to see her in action again. I could see pride radiating off of Isabella as Aro complimented her on all that she'd achieved in such a short period of time.

After we finished with our meeting, we found the Cullens standing outside the door, hoping to speak with Isabella.

She refused all their attempts to speak with her before they left the castle the following day. She said that their friendship was no longer welcome. Unfortunately for them, a vampire can hold a grudge for a very, very long time. Eternity, as a matter of fact.

Carlisle did send me his apologies about how he and the family had treated her, stating that in his entire existence, this was the thing he most regretted. He should have never listened to Edward when he asked them to leave her. He hoped eventually time would heal her wounds, and she would someday accept their apologies and allow a visit with them. I could tell he loved her like his own daughter, and could see he was anguished by her utter rejection of their apology and offer of friendship. But she was stubborn and I wasn't about to force her to reconcile with them. She'd had Edward making decisions for her enough for a lifetime, and I wasn't about to lose her trust by asking for this. Not now anyways.

"You ready to go?" she asked, putting the last of the new clothes I'd had Gianna buy for her into a large backpack. As much as I didn't want her to have to transport us back to the chalet, she wouldn't be denied.

"We can have Demetri drive us, you know?" I slid my arms around her waist, tugging her back into my chest and nipping on her earlobe.

"We don't need to spend three hours in the car when I can get us there in less than a minute. Honestly, I'll be fine. Besides, I think the more I do it, the less tired I'll get from it. Sort of like working out or something." Spinning in my arms, she kissed me softly before pulling away to grab the bag that had fallen on the floor.

"Let's go. I'm tired of seeing Edward moping through the halls. Hopefully I won't have to come back for at least six months. By then, perhaps Aro will have put him on some foreign assignment or something. Anything that doesn't include him standing guard outside our door and listening to us get it on."

Grabbing her hand, I whispered into her ear, "I think Aro's been doing that just to torture the poor boy. Besides, I think you like him listening in. You're always so vocal when you think he's out there."

Shoving me lightly she laughed. "I do not!"

"Okay, maybe it's just a testament to how good I am in bed."

"Sure, sure, that's totally it." She was smiling more and more each day. I think it had been a relief for her to finally put Edward behind her. To know that she hadn't been discarded because she was unworthy had changed her entire outlook on herself. Now she was still feisty, but there was more of a confidence behind it, instead of using it to deflect how she really felt about herself. And it was glorious.

"Let's go. I'm ready to have you all to myself. It's a shame that lovely dress won't last through the night." The blood red gown Gianna had picked out for the mating ceremony that had happened earlier in the day was spectacular. It fit her body perfectly, her breasts just about spilling over the top and her long legs peeked through the slit up the skirt. We'd wanted to be officially mated before heading back to the chalet, partly so we wouldn't have to come back to the castle for quite some time.

"As you wish." Holding me in tight embrace, she transported us back to the wilderness of the Alps and into our happily ever after.

* * *

**A/N**

There you go. Thanks for reading.


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